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Dec. 23, 1930.

CONTROL DEVICE OF U KOHLER 'cuRRENcY STAMPING MACHINES HAVING COUNTING MECHANISM d June 7, 1929 File 4 H 4:. fig,

Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNETED STATES ULRICH KorILER, or Enn swrrzEnLAnD, ASSIGNOR T nasnnaa-ef, .VORMALS'V TELEGRAPHENWERK-STATTE VON G. HASLER, or BERN, SWITZERLAND, at 001220- RATION OF SWITZERLAND con-r301, DEVICE or cURaEncY-s'rAMmNG MACHINES nAvInGooUN'rING r v, MECHANISM Application filed June 7, 1929, Serial No. 369,183, and in Switzerland August 9,1928.

This invention relates to control devices of currency stamping machines providedv with counting mechanism, wherein the reading of the counter is printed on an exchangeable registration card when the card is changed;

According to the invention, the holder of the registration card is movable'into two end positions in its own plane transverse to the axial direction of the counter discsby means of a device to be actuated when changing the card, by which device the registration card is pressed againstthe counterdiscsin the one end position of the'card-holder at the commencement of a counting period and inv the other end, position at the end of the counting period, so that the-registration card has applied to it two difierent numbers spaced apart one above the other,the difference of which number-s corresponds to the amount recordedon the counter since the last control. i

According to a feature of the invention the said device for pressing the registration card againstthe counter-discs comprises a slide that is movable along the card-holder, which slide whenshifted for changing a card presses the registration cardby means of a roller. against. the counter-discsand at the end of its travel sets the card-holder opposite an opening providedv in acasing of the control de vice, so that the registration card can be removed from its holder through the opening. According to another feature of the invention, the card-holder which is held resiliently in itsworking iposition,'is locked by locking members inlits position which permits the card or tickets to be. changed, which locking members are disengaged by, the said slide only when the latterxis shifted after the insertion of a new'card in the holder and arrives in the 'other end position, during which shifting movement the reading of the counter is printed on the registration card above the place at which the new readin'g of the counter is printed. before the removal of this sa1d cardwhen shifting-the slide in the opposite direction, so; that after withdrawal and re versal of the card the lower counter reading is'seensituated below the higher reading. .uAccor dingrto-a further feature of the invention, the slide is movable by means of a screw-threaded spindle controlled by, a locking member which normally prevents the spindle from rotating and is automatically reversed bythe counter for locking the driving mechanism of the machine and releasing the spindle only when themaximum amount towhich the counter is set is reached.

Accordingto yet another feature of the in vention the saidlocking member which serves for locking the card-holderin its positionfor changing the registration card, and Which extends into the path of said slide for releasing the card-holder, as wellasthe said locking member of the spindle are influenced each by a spring and are generally connected together by a: clutch which is automatically disengaged by the counterwhen the said maximum amount is reached, whereupon the said spindle is automaticallyunlockedvand the drivingmechanism of the machine is locked. x

Conveniently, thecard-holder is operatively connected with aratchet mechanism which is associated with the second counter and serves for consecutively numbering the registration cards.

One embodiment of the invention as applied to a currency stamping machine is illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side-elevation of that part 0 the machine having the counting mechanism,

Figure 2 is a plan thereof,

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line IIL-III in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a detail view showingv certain parts as seen from the right of Figure 1 in end elevation;

Figure 5 is a detail, and i t Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line VI in Figure 5.

Like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views. 7 7

Referring to the drawing, a-coun-ter comprising a plurality of numbered discs 2 on an axle 3 common to them all is arranged between two vertical frame plates 1. -The discs 2 have types, not shown, representing numbers on their peripheries; those on the outside at the level of the axle 3 serve for printing a long registration card. 4 in its holder 5 when it is pressed against the counter. The holder 5 consists of a strip of sheet metal having its upper and lower marginal portions bent over on themselves to embrace the registration card above and below, which strip is slotted at 6 to allow the discs to enter the holder from the rear. The holder 5 is guided to move up and down in its own plane, that lies transverse to the longitudinal axis of the axle 3, at the outer vertical edges of the plates 1 by means of two plates 7 that are attached to the plates 1 and extend endwise beyond the latter. The holder 5 has two downwardly extending lugs 8 having each a hole 9 into which extend the free ends of levers 10 and 11, respectively, fast on a shaft 12 journaled in the plates 7. This shaft carries a coil spring 13 which tends to hold the holder 5 in its upper end position.

The two plates 7 carry two horizontal parallel guide rods 14 for a nut 16 movable along a spindle having a quick thread; this nut carries a roller 17 which bears against the card 4 at its middle portion on a level with the front numbers of the counter discs, and presses the card against the counter when the nut is moved along the spindle 15. The latter is journaled at one end in a bearing 18 and at the other end in the front plate 7 shown at the left of Figures 1 and 2; the front end 19 of the spindle 15 is squared and 1 extends through an opening 20 in a casing 21 of the machine so that it can be turned by a handle in order to shift the nut 16, which constitutes the slide aforesaid, out of its front end position indicated in broken lines in Figures 1 and 2 into its rear end position shown in full lines, and reversely.

In order that the slide 16 shall not seize or become jammed in its two end positions, it is provided on its front face with a nose 22 and on its rear face with an oppositely directed abutment 23, and the spindle 15 has two pins 24 and 25 which in the respective end positions bear against the nose 22 and stop 23 respectively. In consequence of this arrangement'no difficulty is experienced when it is necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the spindle 15.

A stamp or punch 26 carrying the machine number on its face directed towards the card 4 is guided to move up and down with the holder 5 in a recess at the front edge of the rear plate 1. An angle member 27 attached to the holder 5 engages in a hook 28 arranged at the lower end of the stamp 26 and serves for driving the stamp by the holder.

The card 4 can be withdrawn from its holder 5 only in the lower end position of the latter through a slot 30 provided at a corresponding height in the casing 21. In order that the holder shall be moved "into Outside the rear plate 1 the holder 5 carries a lug 32 which, as shown in Figure 4, embraces the rear end of the counter shaft 3 from below. This lug has a horizontal slot 33 into which extends a pin 34 on a lever 35 freely rotatable about the shaft 3; this 1::

lever 35 carries a pawl 36 engaging a ratchet wheel 37. The latter is rotatable on the shaft 3 and is rigidly connected with a counter disc 38 which at each revolution feeds an adjacent tens disc one step in the manner well known in counting mechanism. The two numbered discs 38 and 39 constitute a serial counter and serve for numbering the registration card 4. hen

the holder 5 moves downwards the disc 38 is fed one step or number by the pawl-andratchet mechanism 35, 36, 37. The upward movement of the holder 5 is inoperative on the disc 38.

A toothed wheel 41 fast on a shaft 40 engages any one of the discs 2 which, for example, in machines for stamping postal packets with currency values, indicates the maximum place value corresponding to the sum paid, which wheel 41 is rotated two teeth at eachrevolution of the said disc. A star wheel 42, with which a lever 43 on a shaft 44 engages, is also fast on the shaft 40. The shaft 44 carries at its rear end that extends beyond the rear plate 1 a lever 45 to which is pivoted a rod 46. The lower end of this rod normally extends through two levers 48 and 49, one above the other, rotatable about a vertical pivot pin 47 common to them both, which levers are influenced each by a spring 50 tending to rock them in the direction of the arrow 51.. The rear end of the lever 48 extending below the holder 5 lies against the adjacent lug 8 depending from the holder and is thereby held in its end position. The lever 48 is coupled by a link 52 with a lever 53 rotatable about a vertical pivot pin 54 and bearing against the other lug 8 of the holder 5. The lugs 8 are provided each with a notch 55 into which the levers 48 and 53 enter when the holder 5 is lowered and can hold the latter in its lower position. The holder 5 is released by the levers 48 and 53 when the slide 16 in its end position hits against the upwardly bent end of the lever 48 and moves it and the lever 53 out of the notches 55.

The lever 49 is bent upwards at its rear end, as shown at the right of Figure 3, and is normally situated within reach ofQa pin 56 on the threadedspindle 15. The latter is thus generally locked and can beturned only when it is released by the lever'49. In currency stamping machines for postal packets this'release is eiiected automatically by means of the counting mechanism, the wheel 41 and with it the star wheel 42 being rotated one step by a disc 2 when the maximum amount set on the counter is reached. The star wheel 42 then rotates the lever 43 with the shaft 44 and the lever 45, by which the rod 46 is withdrawn from the upwardly conically enlarged hole in the lever 48. The spring acting on the lever 49 rotates the same so that it locks the driving mechanism of the machine by means of an arresting device, not shown, and also releases pin 56 and the threaded spindle 15.

If the machine serves only for registering purposes, for example as a cash register, the maximum adjusting mechanism comprising the parts 40 to 46 will be omitted, and the pivot 56 will beshitted somewhat to the right in Figures 1 and 2 in order that it shall pass by the lever 49 whenthe threaded spindle 15 is turned for shifting the slide 16.

The described control device is operated as follows, it being understood that a control strip or card 4 is to be inserted in the holder 4 and the machine is to serve for stamping letters, cards and like postal matter with ourrency values.

t is assumed that the rod 46 is withdrawn from the lever 49, the driving mechanism of the machine is locked, the slide 16-occupies its front end position indicated by broken lines in Figures land 2,and the holder5 is situated in its lower position at the level of the slot 30 in the casing 21 and is held in this position by the levers 48'and 53. The levers 48 and 49 register with one another and are coupled together by the rod 46. A registration card 4 is first pushed through the slot 30 into the holder 5. The locking mechanism of the machine is not influenced by the introduction of the card. By turning the spindle .15 the slide 16 is shifted from its front to its rear end position, the roller 17 pressing the card 4 in succession against the discs 2, the stamp 26 having the machine number, and the type discs 39 and 38. In so doing the reading of the counter, the machine number and the card number are applied to the registration card. The holder 5 cannot move upwards until the slide 16 has arrived in its rear end position, in which it abuts against the lever 48 and moves it as well as the lever 5.3 coupled with it out of the notches 55. At the same time the lever 49 is set by the lever 48 and the rod 46 in its normal position in which it unlocks the driving mechanism of the machine, but looks the spindle 15 against rotation. The holder 5 with the card 4 rises under the influence of the spring 13 into its up er end position, the pawl-and-ratchet mec anisrn 36, 37 being set for the next feed movement. The card 4 is now prevented from being unauthorizedly removed from the holder 5 as it extends beyond the top or the slot 30 in the casing 21.

During the subsequent use of the stampingmachine the discs 2 of the counter are fed inv the usual manner, but without influencing the control device until the maximum amount is reached. The connection between the levers 48 and 49 is broken inconsequence of the rod 46 beinglifted by the counting mechanism, the lever 49 not only looks the driving mechanism of the machine, but also releases the pin 56 of the spindle 15 and thespindle itself. The numeral types are so arranged on the periphery of the rollers 2 that the types of the counter are impressed on the register card in an inverted position so that, upon the card being taken out and inverted, the lower condition of the counter is located underneath the higher condition and can therefore be easily subtracted'therefrom. By turning the with drawn card or. check strip 4 upside down the lower reading can be readily subtracted from the higher as it is situated below the latter. Besides the two counter readings the registration card has. the numbers printed by the discs 38 and 39 one above the other in duplicate. V

As soon as the slide is in its front end position the holder 5 descends and is locked in its lower position by the levers 48 and 53. Only then can the card 4 be withdrawn through the opening 30 of the casing 21 out of the holder 5. When a new card 4 has been inserted the described cycle of operations is repeated.

When the-machine is used for registra. tion purposes, for example as a cash register, the card 4 can be removed from the holder 5 after the slide 16 has been moved into its front end position, which can take place for example when a change of cashier at the till occurs.

I claim 1. Inv a machine of the character described, the combination with a counter comprising rotatable number type discs, of a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions in its own plane transverse to the axial direction of the counter, a device for pressing the card against the discs in each of its two end positions at the commencement and end of a counting period, means for moving said pressing device along said card holder so that said card holder is automatically moved into the end positions of said pressing device whereby the numbers of the counter are printed over one another upon the card.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a counter comprising rotatable numbered type discs, of a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions transversely of the axial direction of the counter, a casing having an opening for inserting a card into and removing it from the holder in one of its end portions, a slide movable alongside the holder, a roller carried by said slide for pressing the card against the discs in each of the end positions of the holder at the commencement and end of a counting period, and means controlled by said slide at one end of its travel for setting the holder opposite said opening for the removal therethrough of said card.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a counter comprising rotatable numbered type discs, of a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions transversely of the axial direction of the counter, a spring tending to hold the holder in its working end position, a casing having an opening for inserting a card into and removing it from the holder in the other end position, locking means for locking the holder in the latter end position, a slide movable alongside the holder from one end to the other of the counter, a roller carried by said slide for pressing the card against the discs in each of the end positions of the holder at the commencement and end of a counting period, which slide is arranged to coact with said locking means and release the holder therefrom when the slide is shifted, after the insertion of a new card in the holder, from one limit of its travel and ar rives at the other limit of its travel, whereby the readings of the counter are applied one above another on the card.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a counter comprising rotatable type discs, of a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions transversely of the axial direction of the counter, a casing having an opening for insert-ing a card into and removing it from the holder in one of its end positions, a screwthreaded spindle journaled alongside the holder, a slide movable along said spindle, a roller carried by said slide for pressing the card against the discs in each of the end positions of the holder at the commencementand end of a counting period, means controlled by said slide at one end of its travel for setting the holder opposite said opening for the removal of said card, a locking member arranged normally to lock the spindle against rotation, and means controlled by the counter for releasing the locking member when the maximum amount to which the counter is set is reached.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a counter comprising rotatable type discs, of a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions transversely of the axial direction of the counter, a spring tending to hold the holder in its working end position, a casing having an opening for inserting a card into and removing it from the holder in its other end position, a locking member for locking the holder in the latter end position, a screw threaded spindle journaled alongside the holder, a slide movable along said spindle, a roller carried by said slide for pressing the card against the discs in each of the end positions of the holder at the COIDIDQDCGHIQDt and end of a counting period, means controlled by said slide at one end of its travel for setting the holder opposite said opening for the removal of said card, a second locking member arranged normally to lock the spindle against rotation, springs controlling? said locking members. a coupling member for operatively connecting said locking members together, and means controlled by said counter for releasing said coupling member from the locking members when the maximum amount is reached to which the counter is set and thereby releasing the second locking member from the spindle.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a main counter and an auxiliary counter in alinement therewith each comprising rotatable numbered type discs, a registration-card holder that is movable into two end positions transversely of the axial direction of the counters and extending along the latter, pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operated by the holder and arranged to actuate said auxiliary counter, and means for pressing the card against the discs of said counters in each end position of the holder at the commencement and end of a counting period.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

ULRICH KOHLER. 

